Apparatus for the liquid treatment of thread and the like



v R. H. SNYDER 2,850,889

APPARATUS FOR THE LIQUID TREATMENTOF THREAD AND THE LIKE Sept. 9, was

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7, 1954 zgvmvrox RODNEY H.$NYDER ATT OR EY- Sept. 9, 1958 R H. SNYDER 2,850,889

APPARATUS FOR THE LIQUID TREATMENT OF THREAD AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1954 INVENTOR. RODNEY H. SNYDER ATTO h 2,850,889 Patented Sept. 9, 1958,.

APPARATUS FOR THE LIQUID TREATMENT OF THREAD AND THE LIKE Rodney H. Snyder, Mentor, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application December 7, 1954, Serial No. 473,503.

2 Claims. (Cl; 68-205) thread it has been found advantageous to utilize a threadadvancing reel of the type disclosed in the Knebusch Patent No. 2,210,914. The reel disclosed in the aforesaid patent is a cantilever type comprised of two rigid reel members each having aperiphery of longitudinally extending bar members, and assembled in an interdigitating relation so that both occupy approximately the same space. Since each reel member is mounted to rotate about its own axis and the axes are offset and askew relative to each other, thread is advanced over the periphery of such a reel as a helix comprising, a great many turns. 7 I

Processing of thread traveling as a helix over such a reel can be done in various-Ways, Qnemethod is to spill the liquid onto the surface of the reel;-another method would be to partially immersethereel'in the liquid bath; and still another would be to feed the liquid through the interior of the reel and force it out through radial openings to the yarn on the reel surface, the reel in instances being enshrouded. Where relatively high speeds of rotation are utilized because of increased spinning rates, a surface application of a treating liquid is not feasible since centrifugal force will prevent adequate spreading over the helix surface. Also, a specially constructed reel interior must be made to permit the flow of a liquid through the center of a reel and thence radially through provided openings to the yarn; and where a reel is partially immersed in a treating liquid bath, undesirable turbulence and agitation is the result necessitating shields and guards about the reel to prevent liquid losses. Further, shrouds and reel coverings are disadvantageous in that they interfere with threading up of a reel, access to its periphery for cleaning and repair and, generally, more liquid is utilized under such conditions than is necessary.

The applicant has found that all the aforesaid ditliculties can be eliminated and avoided by an application of a liquid to an extended section of the front part of the reel which section, continuously through the combination of centrifugal force and gravity, carries the treating liq- 'uid into the interior of the reel and distributes it radially over the inner surface of a helix. The thus applied treating liquid spreads along the inner surface of the helix in the form of a generally continuous blanket. Where a reel is tilted upwardly the blanket then will extend rearwardly of the helix and excess treating liquid will drop oil at the rear of the tilted helix into a trough positioned underneath it.

The liquiddistributing and applying projection extend- More particularly, this ing from the front of the reel may advantageously take the form of a frusto-cone. A treating liquid applied to any of these radially extending continuous surfaces tends to move from the lesser towards the larger diameter until reaching a termination or let-off point from whence it is flung off radially and partially by gravity to the reel and then to the helix on the reel. Such a structure for the application and distribution of a treating liquid from the front end of a cantilever reel does not interfere with the areaaboutthe reel surface which is desirably kept free of structural matter so as to permit unobstructive handling of yarn.

The apparatus herein generally mentioned is morespecifically illustrated in the. accompanying drawing where it is completely described. I

In the drawing Figure 1 represents in elevation a thread-advancing reel, with a portion of its cut-away, including the frusto-cone liquid distributing and applying means at its unsupported end;

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the reel of Figure- 1 in an operating condition.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a reel 10 constructed to operate on the principles disclosed in the Knebusch Patent No. 2,210,914 and Burkholder No. 2,272,182. The reel 1% comprises two rigid reel members 11 and 12 each having a periphery of longitudinally extending bar members 13, 14 respectively. The reel members are arranged in an interleaved relation and cured to the reel shaft 15 so as to .rotategtherewith, it can serve as a driving means through bar to bar contact) of the second reel member 12 that is independently mounted and offset and askew to the driving reel member 11.

Advantageously, the shaft supported reel member 11 has a protruding hub section 17 machined to form a cylindrical section that is utilized to support a liquid distributing and applying frusto-conical member 21. As

shown, the frusto-conical member 21 increases in diameter towards its supported end within the front end of the reel Ill. Since the hub section 1'7 is part of the shaft secured reel member 11 the liquid applicator and distributor 21, being mounted thereon, will rotate with the reel. The distributor 21 protrudes beyond the end of the forward part of the reel and a liquid stream is applied to the protruding portion. Generally, it is more convenient to apply a liquid stream on the distributor 21 outside the reel periphery since the treating liquid will immediately travel to the largest diameter within the fore part of the reel and from there to inner reel surface and to the helix. The helix is readily banded by the applied film. The speed of rotation of the reel is generally at a rate so as not to throw the applied liquid of the helix surface.

Where it is desired that a liquid film blanket flow contra the direction of the travel of the helix being processed and thus more fully envelope the helix the unsupported end of the reel 10 is raised to a slight angle from the horizontal. The reel is mounted at about 3. 6 to 10 angle in the support 2 5. Thus mounted it a treating liquid is applied through a liquid distributor 23 positionecl above and slightly to the front of the reel 10 the stream being directed on the frusto-conical distributor 21 will immediately be forced to the interior of the reel and upwardly along the inclined surface of the distributor 21 to its end from whence it is radially flung onto the reel bar members as well as through the spaces between them to the inner surface of the thread helix. A film will be immediately formed on the inner surface of the helix as well as on top of it and it will be caused to flow rearwardly against the forward advance of the helix. A substantially solid liquid blanket is readily formed for over most of the helix subjecting the thread to an eflicient treatment. Excess liquid is collected and carried away by the trough 25.

There is further shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing the advantageous manner in which a treating fluid is applied to a helix by a conical distributor from the unsupported end of a reel. In Figure 2 a treating liquid is spilled by a distributor tube 27 positioned in a supply manifold 28 onto a conical distributor 29 mounted in the reel 30. The treating liquid is immediately forced upwardly in a circumferential and spreading manner about the conical surface to the end of the distributor 29 and from there it is thrown by centrifugal force and by gravity to the helix 31 to be spread along the helix surface rearwardly as a blanket. There is substantially no loss because of an almost total lack of splashing of the treating liquid when it is applied to the conical surface of the liquid distributor. Also, there is a rapid spreading and a minimum of loss of the treating liquid when it leaves the distributor 29 surface to the thread helix. A liquid applicator 27 may be located at a convenient distance away from the reel. Generally, the tubes are of glass rotatably supported in the manifold 28 and they can be turned out of the way to leave an area about the reel that is free of obstruction for purposes of threading up or for other work.

Another view of the advantageous adaptability of a front reel mounted liquid applicator and distributor is shown in Figure 3. The manifold 32 can be conveniently mounted away from the reel 33 and a treating liquid can still be easily applied by the tube 34 to a conical or diameter expanding distributor 35. The applied liquid is radially distributed on the inner surface of the reel 33 and the thread helix 36 there on.

: utilized on a reel member having an initially solid periphery ending, however, in a perforated section for the admission and application of a treating liquid.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for the liquid treatment of thread comprising, a cantilever supported reel having a periphery of a plurality of spaced interdigitating thread supporting bar members for advancing thread in the form of a helix, and a frusto-conical liquid spreading means positioned independently of the reel periphery and extending within it, said means being supported by said reel at its free end and rotating therewith, the liquid spreading portion having the greatest diameter of said means being within the helix.

2. An apparatus for the liquid treatment of thread advancing in a rotating helix comprising, a cantilever supported thread-storing, thread-advancing device for advancing thread in the form of a helix, said device having an apertured thread supporting periphery at least at about its unsupported end, and a separate tapered liquid applying and spreading means supported by the reel at its free end and rotating therewith, said means having at least the portion of greatest diameter within the apertured periphery, said means being adapted to centrifugally re-apply a treating liquid to the said helix previously applied onto its surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,389 Knebusch July 1, 1941 2,513,381 Truitt July 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 54,164 Netherlands Mar. 15, 1943 695,526 Great Britain Aug. 12, 1953. 

